Footwear



W. J. JONES Nov. 25, 1930.

FOOTWEAR Filed Feb. 25, 1929 Patented Nov. 25, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WYATT J'. JONES, 0F NILES CENTER, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOB OF ONE-HALF TO GLENN S. NOBLE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS Application led February 25, 1929. Serial No. 342,470.

This invention relates to means for facilitating the putting on of footwear; and while it is particularly intended for low shoes or sli pers, it may, if desired, also be used for ru bers. In order to put on low shoes, it is usually necessary or desirable to use a shoe horn to facilitate such operation and to prevent the breaking down of the back of the shoe. However, these devices are often missing or not available, and the lack of the same makes it difficult to put on a, shoe, particularly if the shoe is close fitting. In accordance with the present invention, I provide means which may be applied to shoes, rubbers, or

. the like to facilitate putting the same on,

such means preferably being permanently attached to such footwear.

The objects of this invention are to provide an improved shoe with means for facilitating the ease of applying the same; to provide a shoe or the like with a iexible or yielding member adapted to serve as a shoe horn; to provide a shoe or the like with a lining member which may be pulled upwardly at the back whenthe shoe is being put on and which will be moved to normal position by the action of the foot; and to provide such other advantages and desirable features as Will a pear more fully hereinafter.

In t e accompanying drawings illustrating this invention Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved shoe with parts broken away to show a foot being inserted in the same;

Figure 2 1s a similar view showing the foot in position with the flexible attachment or lining member in normal position;

Figure 3 is a detail of the fiexible shoe applying device or horn, and

Figure 4 is a detail showing the device formed integrally with the shoe lining.

The footwear 5, as shown in these drawings, may represent a shoe, rubber or the like, of any ordinary or preferred construction. My improved attachment comprises a piece 6 of any suitable material which, as shown in Figures 1 to 3, has a main portion 7 which conforms to the sha e of the front portion of the heel and which 1s provided with a tongue or extension 8 which preferably projects up to approximately the top of the heel 9, as shown in Figure 2. While the upper end of the tongue portion when in normal position is preferably slightly below the upper edge of the heel in order to be fully concealed, it may, if desired, be extended above the heelan used as a decorative feature for shoes. The main body portion 7 of the attachment is cemented or otherwise secured in the bottom of the shoe, as shown in Figure 1, in a manner similar to the usual` lining, but such cementing or fastening stops at some distance from the back of the heel, leaving the tongue 8 and connecting portion free, as shown in Figure 1.

When the user puts the shoe on he draws the tongue out .above the to of the heel, thus roviding a curved smoot device which aids 1n putting the shoe on in a manner similar to the usual shoe horn. As the heel moves down into position in the shoe, it draws the tongue downwardly until the upper end is drawn out of sight into the back of the heel, and the attachment then remains in position, similar to a heel lining, as will be readily seen from Figure 2.

My improved putting-on device may conveniently be made of leather and if desired may be molded or formed before being applied to the shoe. In some instances the tongue or putting-on portion may be formed integrally with the entire shoe lining 10, as shown in Figure 4, this being found desirable for use in applying to womens shoes or slippers. In this form the main portion of the lining is glued or cemented in position in the usual manner while the tongue and sufficient part of the heel portion is left free to permit the tongue to be drawn up, as above described.

My improved attachment or shoe horn not only facilitates the putting on ofthe shoe but also tends to prevent the breaking down of the heel and also serves as a protection to the heel of the stocking and prevents wear of the same.

It is readily apparent that this improvement may be made' in various shapes or styles in order to be adapted for different shoes or footwear, and therefore I do not wish to be limited to the exact construction herein shown and described, except as specified in the following claim, in which I claim:

The combination with a shoe, of a flexible shoe horn comprising a strip of leather having one end widened so as to form a heel portion disposed over the rear portion of the insole area of the shoe and substantially coextensive therewith and having its forward portion secured in the bottom of the shoe, the strip being tapered gradually toward the other end to form a tongue adapted to extend u to the top of the heel said tongue and a jacent portion being free from the shoe.

WYATT J. JONES. 

